Memories from the past!

I remember not that many years ago, Here in Clarksville Tn, it was a common thing to go down riverside dr at night and see people nite fishing from the bank, I was thinking last nite that its been years since I saw someone on the bank fishing at nite with a lanturn burning.I reckon people don't make the time for fishing like they used to.

When I was in my mid to late teens to mid 20's I spent many a night on the river bank by campfire light trying to outsmart those cats. After that, I managed to let life intervene and am just now getting back to the catfishing. Man, where have the past 40 years gone...?_______________Redundancy: An air bag in a politician's car.

i may not be as old as you guys (lol) but i know what ya mean! the problem around here is with the park districts. they are spreading a contagious disease called "fear of the dark"! there are very few places in the area except for most of the rivers that allow night fishing anymore. when you ask about fishing after dark you get the look as if your crazy or something!? the excuse is crime, but i seem to remember it being much more dangerous when i was a teen!

It should be a law. Once a week, trot ma & kids down to the bank, and just fish. When the kids are gone, you & ma still have to go. My wife was talking this morning about how we started as kids with a cane pole and a cork bobber. A weight was a nut from the bolt bin. I guess you all can tell she came from a "well to do family". I had a green willow pole, some wrapping string I'd been saving, and washer or nut worked just fine for a weight. Now the bobber was a choice piece of corncobb, or one corner of the bottom of a bread bag with air trapped inside. Turning over rocks, under boards in a pile, or heaven forbid, grab the spade and turn a couple shovels of dirt to produce enough bait for at least an hour of pure bliss. Later in my life I still find great solace in that same hour. Manny of my earth shaking problems have been resolved in just holding my fishing pole, feeling the gentle slap of water hit the side of my boat and knowing GOD is in control.
Don

When I was growing up we left the doors unlocked and the windows open with the attic fan going.I could go anywhere I wanted to at night as long as I was home at bed time.I spent many a nights on the side of a bayou fishing and sleeping on a pieace of plastic on the ground.Due to the changes in the world I don't even like leaving my truck at a launch site at night.True fishermen and hunters will not bother you or anything you have.But the dope smoking idiots will kill you for a dollar.I do run lines some at night but I try to do it with others.If you do fish at night watchyour back !!

At least you guys got to go fishing when you were a kid. I lived in Hobbs, New Mexico and if you can find water around that place, it flushes. I think my dad took us fishing maybe three or four times and one of those times I buried two treble hooks deep in my hand and fingers. Dad tried to get them out but they were hooked around the bone and so we had a 45 minute drive to a hospital. Doc took them out and told me to keep them clean so I asked him for a plastic glove like he had on, got one and went back fishing. I was 12 at that time and had caught a big catfish in the Black River and wasn't ready to give up. Still get those darn hooks caught in me, dang it. Moved to Alaska and there I got introduced to real fishing and knew I had been missing some thing big time. Seems every where I've moved since then and that's been a lot there has always been good fishing water close by. Don't have any of the hard time stories always had enough money to buy cheap line, hooks and a red/white round bobber. Enjoyed reading about all your stories, they were good old days no doubt.

At least you guys got to go fishing when you were a kid. I lived in Hobbs, New Mexico .

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I Lived in a Place called Unice {can't spell} but it was about twenty miles from Hobb's, I remember working on a Oil pipe line in a place called "Tarsan TX" it was out in the middle of no where, and the old man that owned the ranch that we were working on was filthy rich, and every day he would come out there in a old beat up chevy truck with several dogs in the back.I worked along side of some mexican's and remember trading some deer jerky for a couple of the burrito's and one of them was so hot it liked to have killed me,LOL Those mexican's all watched as I bit down in to it, and darn neer everyone of them laughed.as I choaked and spit it out.Don't know what kind of pepper's it had in it but it was sure enough hot.

Sportsmen of all kinds are shrinking in numbers. Used to be everyone I knew hunted/fished. Now a few do and many just got too busy. Here in Kansas its getting harder as most land is private and the public areas can really get dangerous.

some of the best times of my life were spent fishin down at sm creek with a kero lantern as light. I still am havin a hard time registerin my boat so I can put a motor on it. it floats and goes real good with oars. (twin engines) :big_smile:

Spent many a night fishing the Arkansas River in Wichita when I was in jr. high and high school. Last time I was there, about 3 years ago, the old river doesn't look the same as it did 50 years ago. During the summer months you could almost spit across the running water. Caught lots and lots of carp back then and take up to the north end of town and sell em for 50 a piece. Yep, things were much simpler then and lots of fun